Thill-coupling.



J. B. JACKSON.

THILL COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED mm: 25, 1908.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

lum

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. JACKSON, OF MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI.

THILL-COUPLING.

r affected by dirt and rust to an extent which will interfere with theready movement of the parts to connect and disconnect the same.

I accomplish these objects by the means shown in the accompanyingdrawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the thill coupling made according to myinvention, the parts being shown in locked or closed position. Fig. 2 isa similar view showing the parts in open position. Fig. 3 is a crosssection on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing theapplication of the device to an axle bolt of difl erent form. Figs. 5and 6 are detail sectional views on the lines 55 and 6-6 respectively ofFig. 4. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the spring and dog, to illustrate theshape which the spring assumes when disconnected.

According to my invention the wooden thill a is provided with the usualthill iron I), which is rigidly secured thereto, said iron having adivided eye at its end one half of which is closed by a clamping lever0, pivot ally connected to the-iron by a pivot pin 0. A locking dog (Zis pivotally connected to the under side of the iron 6, by a pivot pind, and a flat, U-shaped locking spring 6 is rigidly mounted at one endin the dog d, and is connected at its other end, by means of a pivot f,to one end of the link it, the other end of said link being connected tothe iron I) by a pivot 2', at a short distance to one side of the pivotd of the dog d. Said spring 6 is under a strong tension which tends tocause its side portions to swing together, and also tends to press thepivot f against the pivoted end of the dog (Z, as shown in Fig. 7. Theclamping lever c is provided with a recess 0 in the opposite sidethereof from the iron Z), and with a transversely extending tooth 0 atits end, forming one side of said Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 25, 1908.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

Serial No. 440,252.

recess. The dog cl is also provided with a tooth d adapted to enter saidrecess 0 and engage the adjacent side of said tooth 0 when the parts arein the locked position.

The axle 7:; is provided with a coupling bolt m, and the iron I) andlever c are provided with correspondingly arranged semicircular recessesand 0, arranged to receive said bolt m.

In connecting the thills to the bolt on the parts are moved to theposition of Fig. 2, in which the link It is swung so that the pivot 7lies above the straight line aa-w, which passes through the centers ofpivots d and 2', so that the pressure of the spring 6, as it tends tocause its ends to swing together, will be exerted to hold the parts inthis position. The lever c is clamped about the bolt m and then the linkit is swung to carry its pivot f past said line mm, or the dottedposition of Fig. 2, and as soon as this has taken place the tension ofthe spring will cause the link it to swing towards the dog d to theposition of Fig. 1.

As the link is swung outward from its pivot 2', it forces the endportion of the spring, which is connected thereto, longitudinally awayfrom said pivot. As the opposite end of the spring is mounted on thefixed pivot d, so that it cannot move longitudinally correspondingly,the result will be that the spring will cause the dog to be swung in thesame direction as the link, and to be pressed firmly against the lever0, so that its tooth enters the recess 0 and interlocks with the tooth 0as shown in Fig. 1. As it will then be necessary to move the link nearlyto the dotted position of Fig. 2,

to disengage the dog (Z from the lever c, it

will be apparent that there is no possibility of the link beingaccidentally moved far enough to cause the parts to be unlocked.

lVhen the parts are to be unlocked the link is moved past the dottedposition of Fig. 2 to the full line position thereof, in which positionthe parts will be held by the spring.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6 the application of my device to another form of axlebolt m is shown, said bolt having a spherical enlargement about whichthe iron 6 and arm 0 are clamped, said parts being correspondinglyrecessed to receive the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A thill coupling comprising the thillhaving a cooperating attaching lever, a looking dog mounted on the thilland movable to engage said lever to hold it in attached position, aspring connected at one end to said dog, and a link pivoted at itsopposite ends to the other end of said spring and to the thill,respectively, said spring being under tension to swing the link towardssaid dog to move the dog into locking position, substantially asdescribed.

2. A thill coupling comprising the thill having a cooperating attachinglever, a look ing dogmounted on the thill and movable to engage saidlever to hold it in attached position, a U-shaped spring under tensionto cause its side portions to move together, said spring being connectedto said dog at one end and a link pivoted to the other end thereof andto the thill, substantially as described.

3. A thill coupling comprising the thill and its cooperating attachinglever, a locking dog pivoted on the thill and movable to engage saidlever and hold it in attached position, a U-shaped spring rigidlyconnected at one end to said dog, a link pivoted at one end to the otherend of said spring, the opposite end of said link being pivoted to thethill at one side of the ivot of said dog and arranged to cause the inkto force the end portion of the spring connected thereto longitudinallyaway from the pivot of the dog as said end portion swings towards thedog and to cause the latter to swing in the same direction,substantially as described.

4. A thill coupling comprising the thill and its cooperating attachinglever, a looking dog pivoted on the thill and having a locking toothprojecting from one side thereof, and disposed to engage said lever inthe attached position thereof, a link pivotally mounted on the thill atthe opposite side of the dog from said tooth and a flexible connectionbetween said dog and the free end of said link, substantially asdescribed.

5. A thill coupling comprising the thill and its cooperating attachinglever, a locking dog pivoted on the thill and having a locking toothprojecting from one side thereof, and disposed to engage said lever inthe attached position thereof, a link pivotally mounted on the thill atthe opposite side of the dog from said tooth, and a U-shaped springrigidly mounted in said dog at one end and pivotally connected to thefree end of said link at the other end, said spring being under tensionto move its ends together, substantially as described.

6. A thill coupling comprising the thill and a cm'iperating attachinglever, a--U- shaped spring having a pivot connecting one end thereof tothe thill and having a transverse projection connected thereto adjacentsaid pivot, said projection being disposed to be swung by said springinto engagement with said lever to hold the lever in attached position,a link pivoted to the thill at one side of said pivot and having itsfree end pivotally connected to the free end of said spring, said springbeing under tension to move its ends together, substantially as described.

7 A thill coupling comprising the thill and its cooperating attachinglever, a looking. dog pivoted on the thill and movable to engage saidlever and hold it in attached position, a U-shaped spring rigidlyconnected at one end to said dog, a link pivoted at one end to the otherend of said spring, the opposite end of said link being pivoted to thethill at one side of the pivot of said dog and in position with relationto the thill to permit the link to swing in one direction intoengagement with the thill at one side of the line of the axes of the dogand the link, and in the other direction across said line towards thedog to cause the spring to move the dog into locking engagement with thelever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES B. JACKSON.

itnesses L. H. HARRIMAN, BERNARD RosnNBUsH,

